CALGARY — Nik Lewis didn’t require a map to find the visiting dressing room at McMahon Stadium. Nor did he have much difficulty manoeuvring his way to the interview area just down the hall, where he held court as only he can do.

“This is where we eat during training camp. I’ve been up here for photo shoots. This is nothing new,” he said. “It’s nothing more than a game for me.”

That last remark might have been a bit of a stretch for Lewis, who spent 11 seasons playing for the Calgary Stampeders before signing with the Alouettes as a free agent in late February. Saturday night (7 p.m., TSN, RDS, TSN Radio-690), Lewis returns to the scene of his prime, a career full of memories — mostly positive — still fresh in his mind.

Lewis, now 33, has already faced the Stamps once, July 3 at Molson Stadium. He caught three passes for 65 yards that night, scoring a touchdown in the process. The 5-foot-10, 240 pounder bulldozed his way over potential tacklers, as is his style. But this is the game that matters. Everyone’s cognizant of that.

Lewis, being bright and experienced, tactically broke the ice two weeks ago — not only attending Calgary’s home game July 18 against Winnipeg, but dropping into the Stamps’ dressing room following the match. It was no coincidence.

“That was the goal, to come, get in the atmosphere and hang out. Just see the game and enjoy the game. I support the guys. Everyone knows that. I’ve built a lot of bonds and relationships. This organization gave me a platform and treated me well while I was here. I can do nothing but respect that. I have no animosity,” he said.

“It took a lot of the pressure off.”

Rest assured Lewis put an asterisk next to this game when the schedule was released, just as he did with some others. It’s against the great opponents that a player tests his mettle and the Stamps, as the defending Grey Cup champions, remain a formidable challenge. Calgary might be a modest 3-2 and was spanked, 29-11, by Montreal earlier this season, but the Stamps also are undefeated at home in three games this season and haven’t lost to the Als at McMahon since 2009.

“The walk out of here I’ve imagined in my head,” Lewis said. “I don’t know what kind of a reception I’ll receive; hopefully it’ll be good. I feel like it ended the way it was supposed to. We won a Grey Cup together and then we went our separate ways. It wasn’t a bad split. I just think it was time for me to leave and it was time for them to move on.”

Hampered by a bum ankle, the high-priced Lewis was limited to 13 games last season, 12 starts. A 1,000-yard receiver his first nine seasons, the Canadian Football League’s rookie of the year in 2004 and a three-time league all-star, Lewis caught a modest 37 passes for 377 yards. There simply was no more room for him, too much uncertainty surrounding his health and status.

But so far, he has been rejuvenated coming to Montreal, second on the team with 15 catches for 191 yards. And with the absence of Fred Stamps — home tending to a personal matter — against Calgary, Lewis might well be counted on again. Other than an Als victory, he said he’s hoping for a 100-yard game and two touchdowns. And, when the team emerges from the tunnel, he vowed he’ll be ready to play.

Lewis was more than just another player in Calgary, running the gamut of emotions. Somehow, he connected with the fans. And the loquacious and opinionated Lewis proved to be a media delight. In many ways, he became a cult hero.

“I’m a fan of the game and I relate to the fans,” he explained. “I don’t see myself as being different. Everybody can do things I can’t. Just because I do this on television doesn’t make me different.”

If the game means a lot to Lewis, please understand the guys on the other side — the ones who shared so many memories with him over the years — are approaching the match in similar fashion.

“He came to Calgary on his bye week, so you know how much he missed it,” linebacker Keon Raymond said. “He’s just a savvy veteran who understands the game. He’s not as fast as he used to be, especially with the extra 20 pounds he probably put on over his career. But you don’t have to be super fast or jump high to play. He plays the game smart. He understands schemes and defences. He puts himself in the right position.

“Nik has awesome hands. I’ve seen him make some incredible catches. He’s done what he needed to do to continue playing.”

Als head coach Tom Higgins said Lewis has instilled confidence and swagger to the dressing room. Lewis always has been a treasured teammate but a reviled opponent.

“His value has been to the whole team, from the confidence and swagger,” Higgins said. “He has brought tremendous confidence to the whole team, both in the locker room and on game day. He understands he’s winding up a career. He’d like to have this go on as long as possible.”

Rookie Als quarterback Rakeem Cato, meanwhile, is just beginning his odyssey. The 23-year-old makes his fourth start of the season, but this game marks the first time he’ll face a team for the second time — a team that now has film and experience from which to work and plot.

“I’m expecting everything different. I’m a young guy. I know they want to rattle me and get me uncomfortable. I’m expecting a lot of pressure from their defence,” Cato admitted.

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